


The War-God Makes A Sword

by Mechanical



Series: Tales of Three Goddesses [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fables - Freeform, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23155162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mechanical/pseuds/Mechanical
Summary: A mythological fable of the forging of the first sword.
Series: Tales of Three Goddesses [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721122
Kudos: 6





	The War-God Makes A Sword

A long time ago, when the three goddesses still strode the earth-

Falla, war goddess, slayer of foes, came to her forge-sister Knossi. Falla's weapon had broken once again - the shaft of the thirty cubit spear Fulsrec had snapped clean in two as she had slain the Gloamingwolf, and her knife Grinedge was chipped and blunted against the scaly hide of a great lindworm she'd hauled from the sea. 

"Sister!" she called over the ringing of hammers. She paid no heed to the forge-spirits that scrambled to avoid her steps, voices clanging like iron bells.  
"Sister! Forge me a new weapon!"

Inside her forge, Knossi sighed deeply, and the coals in her belly flared with irritation; for there she had been hard at work, and it had been but a short time since she had forged mighty tools for her sister. But it would do no good to ignore her, nor send her away, for Falla was greatly obstinate, and only their third sister, Zallnia, could ever dissuade her from a decision the war-god had made. 

So Knossi emerged from her forge, and placed her blackened hands on her hips.  
"Well," she demanded. "What manner of tool do you wish for? A new spear or dagger? An axe?"  
"None of those," Falla replied. "For the shaft of a spear always breaks when wielded by one as mighty as I, and the knife reached too shallow for the heart of my gigantic foes. No, make me a blade - a long one, pointed and sharp, and a handle enough for two hands, but suitable for one, and a cross-guard to catch the weapons of my foes. I call it _sword_."  
Knossi thought of it, and shook her head.  
"Absolutely not - a vile thing! With a spear, a man may hunt to feed the hungry, an axe hew wood to build his home - but that would only ever destroy."  
At this, Falla grew wroth.  
"Then stand aside, and I will make it myself!" she roared, and tossed Knossi aside to fulfil that statement.  
The forge-spirits swarmed towards her in defence of their master, but Falla gave them a good drubbing with her fists, and piled them unconscious upon the floor.

With great anger, Knossi departed to fetch Zallnia to bring their sister to order. The forge-goddess was certain that Falla would not succeed in making her terrible weapon, for she knew that her workshop was far too complex for Falla's impatience; for even she required the forge-spirits to stoke the fires and work the bellows.

Falla tried to forge her blade, but it was as Knossi expected. She could not get the fire hot enough, or work the bellows while working on the rest, and she made a dozen swords, worthless and flawed. Finally, she reached up, and seized the heat of the light of the moon, and stuffed it into the firebox to heat it. She wrestled the north wind, until it agreed to blow through the bellows without cease.

Finally, she lowered her hammer, satisfied. Her sword was fifteen cubits long, and forged of that long forgotten godsmetal, and sharp enough to cut a shadow from the earth. It was dark with the promise of battle, though the blade gleamed. Falla raised it in triumph to the heavens.  
"Behold!" She called. "My sword! Is it not beautiful?"

Zallnia and Knossi, having just arrived, saw it held aloft by the exulting goddess.  
"What an awful thing," said Zallnia, and begged her war-sister to destroy it, but she was too late: the north wind had already escaped and whispered of swords to men, and thus did knowledge of swords enter the world.


End file.
